The Pony Games
by Nightstar26504
Summary: Follow Applejack as she volunteers in her sisters place to become a tribute in the 44th Pony Games. Join her along her journey as she tries to win the games and go back to her family in District 3. (By Amethyst)
1. Prologue

It would have been a good day had it not been for the Canterlot regals parading in the streets. It would have been a good day if there hadn't been any District 3 foals being consoled by their parents or siblings. It would have been a good day. It _could_ have been a good day.

Applejack knew this from the moment she stepped foot in town square. From the moment she woke up that morning.

She gave Applebloom one last squeeze before leaving her and Granny Smith. She had to sign in. To stand amongst every other young mare and stallion as they waited to hear who would be called up to the stage.

Big Mac followed his younger sister. Along the edges of the town square, large screens had been set up, displaying all that happened.

"Welcome, welcome, mares, and gentlecolts, and of course, our tributes," Cadence, the mare that came to the reaping every year announced. Her voice was laced with a Canterlot accent. "As for every year, I will pick a mare and stallion from each race, Earth pony, Pegasi, and Unicorn." She paused as six large glass bowls were rolled onstage. "Mare's first."

She picked a card from the Pegasus Mare bowl. "Blossomforth." The white pegasus with pink and green hair stepped up to the stage. Cadence picked a card from the Pegasus Stallion bowl. "Cloudchaser." A card from the Unicorn Mare bowl. "Twilight Sparkle." Unicorn Stallion. "Snails." Earth Pony Mare. "Applebloom."


	2. Chapter 1

I couldn't believe what I had heard. Had she really said _her_ name. I watched as my sister was take up to the stage by two burly Canterlot guards.

"Ah volunteer! Ah will be the mare tribute!" I screeched, my voice coming in short, high sounds. Applebloom looked at me with horror.

"A volunteer," Cadence said, her voice curling up at the end of her remark. "We haven't had a volunteer in 3 since, well, the thirty fifth games." I was pushed up to the stage by the same guards. One seemed a bit familiar to me, but I didn't know how. "The Earth Pony Stallion is… Time Turner!"

He was a brown stallion with a darker mane, and a cutiemark of an hour glass. I had seen him selling hour glasses at the market a few times. All six of us were pushed into the building, each into a different room.

"You've got a minute," a guard said, opening the door. My family walked in. Granny Smith held Applebloom's hoof and Big Mac shook his head, trying not to cry for Applebloom.

"Ah love y'all. And ah promise ya, ah'll try my very hardest to get out of that arena, don't you worry."

"Time's up. You've got another visitor, Applejack." I couldn't imagine who it would be. A white unicorn stepped into the room.

"Rarity?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, darling. I wanted to give this to you." She used her magic to pull a tiny box out of her saddlebag. It was wrapped in blue paper. "Open it before you get to Canterlot."

"Ah'll open it now," I shrugged, tearing away the wrapping. Inside was a sparkling orange gem in the shape of an apple. I gasped. "How did ya manage to get _this_?"

"I have a special spell I use to find gems. I just happened to find this orange one a few months ago. I made one for each of our friends. I have to go give Twilight hers." I stood in shock, watching her walk out of the room.

Cadence came in a few moments later and rushed me into the train. I noticed Twilight was still holding her gem from Rarity.

"Your rooms are two cars down," she said. She then went to talk to Bon Bon, the past winner of the games, who would be our mentor.

I followed the other tributes and sure enough, in a large car, each side had three doors. Each one had a picture of the type of pony that was supposed to go there. I opened my door and almost shrunk away at the brightness of it.

"Well, at least it isn't a long trip," I said to myself. I closed the door behind me. I noticed that there was a piece of paper on the bed. "Put on the clothes in the closet," I read. Couldn't hurt. Probably clothes that are better suited for arriving in Canterlot, but that wasn't until tomorrow.

Later Cadence called us for dinner. Bon Bon sat quietly eating her Canterlotian food.

"Got any advice for us, Bon Bon?" Blossomforth asked as she walked up to the table.

"Well, first things first," she answered, looking up from her food, "don't eat too much. It's very rich and might make you sick if you eat too much too fast. And second, choose your allies carefully."

I didn't get the second tip, so I just nodded and sat quietly eating my food, listening to Cadence jabber on about our stylists and how fabulous we would look.

"It's just going to be so amazing! Wait till you see what they have planned for you!"

"What, trousers an' straw hats?" I smirked at her. The others laughed too.

"Ya," Snails snickered. He was a unicorn about Applebloom's age. I felt a bit sorry for the little fellow. I noticed the others nodding along. I looked at Cadence. Her face was offended. She left the table, taking her plate with her.

"Nice going kid," Bon Bon said, even though she was only a year older than me.

"Oh ha ha," I said back. She laughed and patted me on the back.

"Nice to see not all of you are too scared to have a little fun, even though you should be scared." I laughed. It was good to laugh even with the circumstances.

"Ah'm headin' to bed. See y'all in the morning."

I lay facing up in my bed. I couldn't sleep on a moving train, and with the position I was in at the moment. Someone knocked. "Ya?"

"Hey Applejack, uh, can we talk?" Twilight.

"Come on in." She opened the door. Her hair was sticking out a lot. She was wearing a similar nightgown to the one I was wearing. "Ah can see you've had just as much trouble sleepin' as ah have."

"Yeah. Did Rarity give you a gem too?"

"Yeah. Ya wanna see it?"

"No thanks." She brushed some hair out of her face. "I just wanted to tell you that I want an alliance. For the games. I could never kill my friend."

I nodded. She left the room. I took out the gem from Rarity. It's orange color sparkled in the dim light from outside. Even though I didn't want to, I cried. Cried 'till I couldn't cry anymore.


	3. Chapter 2

**So, how are you liking it so far? Please review and tell me. I don't own MLP or The Hunger Games.**

 **Also, please tell me if you like the characters as who they are in the Hunger Games part of the story. Thanks ~ Amethyst**

I know that today is going to be the same as yesterday. Bon Bon told me as much. Twilight and I have been sticking by each other on the train so far.

"There it is," Blossomforth says. She is looking out the window at the huge city. It's built into the mountains. Time Turner goes to join her.

"I'm positive I would enjoy seeing the technology they use here. I've always wondered how the arena's were made." I roll my eyes and Twilight gives me a warning look.

"Where's Cloudchaser?" she asks.

"He's still waking up. I'll get him," Blossomforth replies. She leaves the car, the door opens when it senses her.

"Oh you are all just going to love Canterlot!" Guess who? Cadence enters the car. "We'll be getting off soon and you can meet your stylists!" She squeals. "This is just _so_ exciting! I bet you can't wait!"

We all look at each other. Blossomforth and Cloudchaser return, and I can already see that they are probably going to be allies. They seem to be good friends. The train lurches to a stop.

"You should better get your Canterlot clothes on," Cadence suggests. Bon Bon agrees quietly. She isn't enjoying this any more than we are. I can hear the crowds cheering.

I go to my room and put on the blue dress that is in the closet. It is a bit big, but I don't mind.

When we all are dressed and ready, Cadence leads us off the train and into a building. Inside, we watch the reapings of the day before. It's weird to see myself walking up to the stage. I can tell the others think so too. The crystal projector shuts off.

"Off you go! To your stylists!" Cadence says, pushing us to the door. Guards take us each to a separate room. A bright pink pegasus mare with neon green and yellow hair tells me to lie down on the table at the other end of the room. Her hair is spiked up and pointing in all directions.

She and a few other ponies that look similar to her hose me down and wash me. It hurts when they scrub, like they don't know how to get dirt out.

"Zecora will be right with you," one says, her voice is thick with a Canterlot accent.

"Thanks." The three mare's walk out of the room. I put my hat back on and put my mane into it's regular ponytail. A few minutes later the door opens, revealing a grey striped pony with a mohawk.

"I am Zecora, your designer," she says. She doesn't seem to have a Canterlot accent like the others. "I am not a pony, but a zebra. You are Applejack, am I right."

"Yeah. Ah am. And y'all better not have me wearin' overalls an' a straw hat."

"Do not worry, Applejack, I know you don't like tack." She starts to rhyme. "Please, follow me, and we can talk with some tea." I follow her into another room. It is lined with windows and sun streams in. "This is my design for you and your friends, I hope it give your mind mends."  
She holds out a paper to me. It has a quick sketch. It makes me think of Rarity and the gem. I look at the sketch, but don't see anything. I'm trying too hard to stop crying.

"Let us get started."

I spend the rest of the day standing around as Zecora fixes my outfit for the tribute parade. She stands back every so often to admire her work. The three mare's come back, followed by another unicorn. The unicorn's all follow Zecora's instructions while the pink pegasus flies above me to adjust my headpiece.

It's just about five forty five when they finish. They had been casting spells and adjusting all afternoon.

"Thank you all for this, I'm sure you are a miss." They left, leaving me and Zecora alone.

"This your first year, Zecora?"

"Yes. You better follow me, it is time to leave." I nod and follow her through a set of double doors that leads to the carriage spot. The other tributes from 3 are dressed similarly to me. I join them.

"Y'all ready?" They nod. Twilight grabs me.

"Did you bring your gem?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"It's a pin. Put it where your heart is."

"Okay." I notice that she has done what she told me to do. I take out the small apple shaped jewel and pin it where my heart is. It sparkles in the bright, Canterlot lights. I can see the crowds of ponies lining the streets from here.

Zecora gestures for us to climb onto our carriage. "Show some sense of unity, it will cause a pity." I don't want pity, but I know she's right. If we seem like we are all friends, It might get us more sponsors. Once we're all on the carriage, Bon Bon gives us a pep talk.

"Okay gang. Smile and wave. Act like you're happy to be here. It helps, I should know. It helped me. You will be leaving in a minute." She walks away to talk with Zecora. A unicorn stallion I am assuming helped one of the others walks up and casts a spell on our carriage as we leave.

Vines begin to wrap around me and the others. My outfit grows apple blossoms, and the others outfits grow different things we grow back at home. It is a good design. I like Zecora.

We slowly lift into the air as the pegasi leading our carriage fly upwards. The view of the city is beautiful, even if this night represents something awful. I can hear ponies cheer as we pass them. They are standing on their rooftops, admiring us, deciding if they should bet on us.

The pegasi bring the carriage back down onto a ramp where we are led to our circle. We get out of the carriage and stand together. I grab Twilight's hoof, and she grabs Cloudchaser's. Soon we are all linked. The crowd cheers loudly. We wave and smile.

"Welcome all! Tributes, and Regals!" President Flim says.

"Good evening! Please enjoy this year's annual Pony Games and make sure to bet on your favorite tribute!" President Flam announces. They are using magic to project their voices. I cringe. I never liked them obviously.

We step back into the carriage and leave after District's 1 and 2. We are taken to a different building where we are shown to our rooms. The basement of this building should be the training area.


End file.
